Projectile.



)- KARLIK.

PROJECTILE'.

APPLICATION map NOV. 12, 1914.

Patented m 18, 1915.

s rains rairnrrr ora ion JDHAN KRLIK, OF MCKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO I). L.

ROSENSTEIN, OF MQKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROJECTILE.

manner.

Application filed November 12, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHAN KARLIK, a subjectof the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at McKees Rocks, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to projectiles and as particularly illustrated to projectiles for large guns such as artillery and coast defense guns of large caliber. The invention has for its primary objects; the provision of a projectile having a maximum of destruc tive power distributed over an increased area; the provision of a projectile wherein a plurality of successive explosions occur while the projectile is in flight, thereby scattering fragments of the shell at a plurality of predetermined distances; the provision of a projectile wherein portions of the shell are broken to fragments within the shell prior to the destruction of the outside shell of the projectile to increase the numher of fragments to be scattered by the explosion of the shell; the provision of a projectile wherein the explosive therein is instantaneousiy ignited by the detonation of an explosive at the center of the main explosive; and such other objects as may hereinafter appear. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the projectile and Fig. 2 is an end view of the rear of the projectile.

Referring to the general arrangement of parts as illustrated the projectile comprises a hollow rear shell. 1 and a hollow front shell 2, the rear shell being provided with an integral end from which projects inwardly an auxiliary shell at integral with the. end The end of the auxiliary shell at is closed with a screw plug 5, which serves to confine a quantity of highly explosive powder 6. A fuse 7 extends through a hole in the end 3 of the shell 1, and terminates within the shell 4, and is adapted to be ignited by the ignited powder in the gun when the projectile is discharged. The length of the tee 7 may be varied according to the diet: .02 from the gun that it is desired to have the 'orojectileexplode and by the regu on or the length the shell may be caused to explode at any predetermined distance.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915.

Serial No. 871,656.

A pair of set screws 8 screwed through the shell 4 toward the fuse 7, serve to hold the fuse stationary against dislodgment by the discharge of the gun.

The rear shell 1 is screwed to a partition plug 9 which serves to close the end of the rear shell and confine a quantity of highly explosive powder 10. A fuse 11 extends from the interior of the auxiliary shell 4%. through the screw plug 5 into the interior of the rear shell 1, and is adapted to ignite the powder 10 within the rear shell aft-er the powder 6 in the auxiliary shell 4: has been ignited in case the shell 4 fails to burst.

The front shell 2 is closed at the front end by the integral nose l2 and is screwed on the partition plug 9 which serves to close the rear end of the front shell and confine a highly explosive powder 13. To the central portion of. the partition plug 9 is screwed an auxiliary shell 1% having its rear end closed by a fuse plug 15 screwed into the interior of the shell 14. The auxiliary shell 15 contains a quantity of highly explosive powder l5 which is adapted to be ignited by a fuse 16 which extends through the fuse plug 15from the interior of the shell 1 t0 the interior of the auxiliary shell 14. This fuse is held in place in a manner similar to that employed in holding the fuse 7 in place, by means of set screws 17, and ,the length of the fuse may be varied to cause the explosion of the front part of the projectile at a predetermined interval after the explosion of the rear portion. A fuse 18 extends through the front end of the shell 14, from the interior of the said shell to the interior of the front shell 2 and serves to ignite the explosive within the shell 2 in the event of failure of the shell 14 to burst ing of the powder when the projectile is discharged from the gun, and the head 3 is provided with a square projection to provide surrounding the shells,

a grip for a wrench when it is desired to screw the rear shell onto the plug 9.

The operation of the projectile is as follows. Nhen the projectile is fired from the gun the fuse 7 is ignited causing the explosive in the auxiliary shell 4 to detonate when the shell has traveled a predetermined distance from the gun. Instantly the auxiliary shell t explodes and flies to fragments which are in turn hurled at great velocity in .every direction by the instantaneous detonation of the powder 10, which is ignited by the explosion of. the shell 4. The rear shell 1 is blown to fragments while the front shell 2 continues its flight, with the fuse l6 ignited by the explosion of the powder 10. When the fuse 16 has burned to the powder 15, the auxiliary shell 14 bursts into fragments by reason of the ignition of the powder 15 thus causing the instantaneous detonation of the explosive quent scattering of the fragments of the shells 14 and 2.

The auxiliary shells 4: and 14 perform two very importantfunctions. First, the sudden explosion and combustion of a mass of "E der at the center of the mass of powder causes instantaneous combustion of the main explosive, resulting in an increased force of explosion, and cansing the fragments. to be hurled at greater velocity than is the case where the powder is ignited at one point as is the custom. Sec- 'ond, the auxiliary shells break up into fragments which are scattered by the main detonation thereby adding more fragments to the total.

The advantage of the plurality of successive explosions of the projectile resides in causing the fragments of the whole projectile to be scattered over an extended area, as for instance, the first explosion may be caused to occur at a certain battalion nearest the gun and the second explosion over a battalion having a position to the rear of 13 and the subse-' the first, or the length of the fuses may be so adjusted to cause the first explosien to take place .as the shell enters a building and the second explosion to occur when the front of the projectile has penetrated to a point beyond where its explosion would do considerable damage.

It is obvious that the projectile may be made up of a series of separate shells exceeding two in number which may be caused to explode successively, and other changes in detail might be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1'. In combination in a projectile, a cylindrical shell having its rear end closed, a plug fitting into the front end of the shell, an interior cylindrical shell secured to the rear end of the first shell and projecting forwardly,'but terminating short of the said plug, a plug in the forward end of said interior shell, an explosive in each shell, and means whereby the explosive in the interior shell is detonated.

2. Incombination in a projectile, a cylindric al shell having its rear end. closed, a plug fitting into the front end of the shell, an interior cylindrical shell secured to the rear end of the forwardly, but terminating short of the said plug, a plug in the forward end of said interior s ell, a third cylindrical shell having its rear end fitting over said first mentioned plug, an interior shell extending forward from said plug, an explosive in all four. shells, and means whereby the explosives in first shell and projecting the front and rear shells are detonated successively.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto, 

